Fatal bus accident in Chumphon

[Frank Hovis]

No one should really use the horn unless an extreme case. That is unless you want to be looking down a barrel of a gun.

Eh? Of course you should use the horn, especially to alert motorcycle riders to your presence, flashing of headlamps doesn't work well during the day and a lot of bikes don't have rear view mirrors anyway.

[PeteC]

No one should really use the horn unless an extreme case. That is unless you want to be looking down a barrel of a gun.

Eh? Of course you should use the horn, especially to alert motorcycle riders to your presence, flashing of headlamps doesn't work well during the day and a lot of bikes don't have rear view mirrors anyway.

Yes, of course. I meant it in the context of Nereus's post about the complaining lady. Pete

[Frank Hovis]

You shouldn't use it as reprimand, you mean? I agree with you there.

[JW]

Thai car drivers at traffic are very rarely ready to move when the lights change, reaction times are very slow. The bikes are off like bullets most of the time!

[Pleng]

No one should really use the horn unless an extreme case. That is unless you want to be looking down a barrel of a gun.

Eh? Of course you should use the horn, especially to alert motorcycle riders to your presence, flashing of headlamps doesn't work well during the day and a lot of bikes don't have rear view mirrors anyway.

Flashing headlamps is the stupidest thing you can do to alert a motorcyclist to your presence anyway. I've never figured out why driver's think a motorcyclist is less likely to run into you if you temporarily blind him/her!

[Frank Hovis]

Flashing headlamps is the stupidest thing you can do to alert a motorcyclist to your presence anyway. I've never figured out why driver's think a motorcyclist is less likely to run into you if you temporarily blind him/her!

I'm not wholly convinced that a quick flash in the rear view mirror would temporarily blind anyone, however, I welcome your alternate suggestions.

[Dannie Boy]

I appreciate we have drifted off the subject topic, but I believe that circumstances dictate your reaction to an incident that warrants a warning. Sometimes it will need a very rapid response and I suggest that most of us will not necessarily always use the horn or always flash your lights - sometimes your hand positions will dictate your reaction. As for flashing the lights blinding a motor cyclist, well what's the difference between a driver of a bike to a car?

I think it's fairly obvious that during daylight, flashing lights will have less impact than it would at night, so in a perfect world where reaction time permits, it could be a case of horn during the day, lights at night?

[Pleng]

Maybe I'm the only one, then. But, yes, a flash in the rear view mirror, if I happen to be looking in the rear view mirror at the time, will completely throw me off for a second or so. Alternate sugguestion was already made, by yourself in fact. Use the horn.

[Dannie Boy]

Maybe I'm the only one, then. But, yes, a flash in the rear view mirror, if I happen to be looking in the rear view mirror at the time, will completely throw me off for a second or so. Alternate sugguestion was already made, by yourself in fact. Use the horn.

Agree about the rear view mirror, even the most careful drivers only use that every so many seconds, but if you notice a car or bike ahead of you preparing to pull out of a side road, a flash of the lights may be more appropriate than use of the horn?

[Big Boy]

if you notice a car or bike ahead of you preparing to pull out of a side road, a flash of the lights may be more appropriate than use of the horn?

The problem I had originally (being fairly recent from the UK) is that such a flash of the lights in the UK would be the oncoming driver telling you to go first.

Fortunately my understanding of the flashing light came on my first drive up to Isaan. I flashed several cars en-route indicating (I thought) to them to go first. It took a while for me to understand why they totally stopped any manoevre and let me go first. I eventually remembered what the flashing light in Thailand meant. Had it been the other way around, an accident might have resulted.

[Frank Hovis]

I eventually remembered what the flashing light in Thailand meant.

Same as in the UK BB - from the highway code (the UK one) I quote Rules 110 & 111

110
Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.

111
Never assume that flashing headlights is a signal inviting you to proceed. Use your own judgement and proceed carefully.

[Big Boy]

That really surprises me, and I would think a lot of others. I don't think I've encountered anybody using flashing headlights correctly in decades of driving in the UK

[Frank Hovis]

I agree, UK drivers use flashed headlights at junctions to give up their right of way more than they are used for the proper function, however the Highway code is clear and hasn't changed (I half expected to go and look for that and find that it had been changed to the now common use).
Thai people use the flashed headlights in the correct UK highway code fashion, it's particularly noticeable at night on Highway 4 that almost every vehicle will flash it's lights prior to overtaking another vehicle, especially trucks and the trucks often respond by flicking their left indicator (or right indicator if they are travelling in the right hand lane and expect you to pass them on the left - perfectly legal here to pass on either side). It's also common at U-turns and side junctions for the vehicles with right of way to flash their lights and/or sound their horns.

Maybe we should have 'Drive safer in Hua Hin thread' with some of this info and also any notable blackspots and odd driving habits for tourists (and expats) to be aware of.

[STEVE G]

I spent six years driving to and from work in Jakarta and I can tell you that flashing headlights in Asia means get out of the way now or we'll crash!
As for the Egyptian brake-pedal, the horn, I agree that it's best not to use it except to get your partner out of clothing boutiques, dogs from under your car and things of that nature.

[Pleng]

Maybe I'm the only one, then. But, yes, a flash in the rear view mirror, if I happen to be looking in the rear view mirror at the time, will completely throw me off for a second or so. Alternate sugguestion was already made, by yourself in fact. Use the horn.

Agree about the rear view mirror, even the most careful drivers only use that every so many seconds, but if you notice a car or bike ahead of you preparing to pull out of a side road, a flash of the lights may be more appropriate than use of the horn?

Sorry I meant wing mirror. I don't have a car.

But no, I don't see how flashing at a motorcyclist who is about to pull out is better than a horn. A horn being omi-directinal, I can hear it from anywhere. If about to pull out and am looking left, I'm not going to see you flashing your lights. If I'm looking right, you'll be flashing them straig in my eyes.